A gradual decline in physiological functions as well as susceptibility to age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and dementia, occurs during normal aging. However, there are seniors who escape these age-related diseases. Moreover, there are seniors who are free of cognitive decline into and through very late old age. Very long life has a strong genetic component as centenarians cluster in families and their siblings are likely to live past age 85 (Perls, T., et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 99:8442-8447 (2002). Of particular interest are seniors who are over the age of 85 with preserved cognition.
Therefore it is an object of the invention to provide biomarkers that can identify subjects that have the ability to age without cognitive decline.
It is another object of the invention to provide genetic markers and methods for using the genetic markers for the identification of subjects that can age without cognitive decline.